Laundry press



July 17, 1934. J. F. RAYNOLDS 1,966,645

LAUNDRY PRES S F4led Dec. 21 1931 a Sheets-Sheet 2 l 1 llIIIIIIIIIII/II/I/l "z IIIIIIIIIIA nvvcw Toe JOHN F. EA YNOLDS 4 TTORNEYS'July 17, 1934.

J. F. RAYNOLDS 1,966,645

LAUNDRY PRESS I Filed Dec. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 V l3 6 /4 U III/ IAVE N Tog JOHN F. 24 YNOL as Patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE to The Unipress Company,

Incorporated,

Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application December 21,1931, Serial No. 582,305

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pressing machines which arewell adapted for use on garment presses. Among the objects of theinvention are to provide pressing elements between which the maximumconduction of heat may be had, and in which the walls of the pressingelements have a minimum thickness and a maximum of strength due to theintroduction of means by which heat conduction to the pressing surfacesis accelerated. By the use of the invention, less steam pressure isrequired and the pressing time is materially lessened, because of theincreased efficiency in the transmission of heat. Moreover, theheat-transmitting ribs act to reinforce the structures, so

that considerably less metal is required in their construction, and thusthe weight and, therefore, transportation costs are materially reduced.The invention herein is also shown, but not claimed, in an applicationby myself and another, Serial Number 520,850 for laundry press.

Features of the invention include all the details of constructiondisclosed, as well as the broader features relating to means which act,as the elements approach pressing position, to increase heat conduction,and also act to obtain a maximum of heat conduction to the pressingsurfaces while the elements are performing the pressing operation.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description of the drawings forming a part of this application, andin said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through apress, showing one embodiment of the invention in which the ribs extendlongitudinally of the pressing elements and associated parts, andshowing the parts positioned as during the pressing operation;

Figure 2 is a detail section transversely of the pressing elementsshowing the position of the pad-carrying shell when the presser head isretracted;

Figure 3 is a plan section with the parts positioned as in Figure 1,andwith parts broken away to expose some portion of each of the pressingand heat-transferring elements;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken approximately on line44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of a modification in which theupper wall of the lower steam chest is interiorly provided withlongitudinally extending depending ribs, in addition to upstanding ribson the upper surface of its upper wall;

'shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a' modification in which the ribs of the shell and chestextend transversely, and showing the elements in their separatedcondition as when the presser head is retracted; and

Figure '7 is a longitudinal section of the con struction of Figure 6.

The frame of the pressing machine is indicated at 1, and to this frameis attached the table support 2 having thereon a pedestal 3, whichsupports the buck or lower and stationary steam chamber 4. The chamberhas suitable passages 6 arranged to obtain the proper circulation ofsteam. Steam pipes have not been indicated.

Spaced above the chest 4, and connected to the chest for verticalmovement, is a cap or shell 10 having ventilating perforations 11. Uponthis shell is arranged the usual padding 12. This shell 10 is arrangedin spaced relation to the marginal portions of the chest 4, and isnormally held in verticallyspaced relation thereto by means of suitablyarranged coil springs 13, arranged in sockets 14. The cap is thusadapted to be depressed as the presser head 15 continues to descendafter engagement with the pad 12. The presser head is carried by theusual presser arm 16 pivoted as at 17 to an upward extension 18 of theframe 1. By this spacing, atmospheric communication with the spacebetween the elements and through the openings is maintained between thechest 4 and shell. The present invention is well adapted to a devicewherein a movable element, which is the equivalent of shell 10, is used.

The upper surface of the lower steam chest is provided withlongitudinally disposed and transversely spaced vertical ribs or finsindicated at 20, the general arrangement of these fins, with referenceto the springs 13 and sockets 14 is The shell 10 is provided withlongitudinal transversely spaced depending fins 21, the lower ends ofwhich, when pressing force is not applied to the pad 12 to depress theelement 10, lie at a level above the upper ends of fins 20, see Figure2. Each fin 21 is arranged substantially midway between two fins 20 and'it will be noted, in Figure 1, that on depression of the shell 10, thefins 21 are brought into closer proximity of the fins 20, thussusbtantially facilitating heat transfer between the fins, whichcontinues throughout the ;pressing period. The ribs also perform thefunction of stiffening the walls -of the hollow elements 4 and 10 sothat the thickness of the walls of these elements can be made much less.

' lower ribs 3l32.

In certain sizes of presses, it was erstwhile necessary that thethickness of the metal be about three-eighths of an inch, while now, bythe use of the present device, the thickness can be safely reduced to aquarter of an inch or less. The elements weigh considerably less, andconsiderable less quantity of metal is required so that the cost ofproduction is materially reduced.

The steam chest or head is also provided interiorly with upstanding ribs23 which act to materially increase the transmission of heat to itspressing surface 24. In this instance, these ribs are arrangedlongitudinally in conformity to the arrangement of the ribs 2l.

Suitable linkage bolts, in threaded connectionwith the shell, passloosely through the lower walls of the sockets 14, and also pass looselythrough the springs. The heads of these bolts act to limit the upwardmotion of the shell.

Figure 6 shows a modification in which the lower steam chest 4 isadditionally provided interiorly with depending ribs 30, the ribs beingarranged longitudinally as in the first case. By this means increasedconduction is obtained over that obtained by the use of the upper ribs20 alone. Figure 6 shows a modification in which ribs 31 of the lowersteam chest 4 are arranged transversely and in which the ribs 32 of theshell 10 are arranged in like manner. Figure 7 shows the relation of theupper and In both figures, the shell 10 is shown in its uppermostposition.

The invention is applicable to any kind of press in which two memberscooperate in a fabric, pressing operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a laundry press, the combination of a steam chest, and apad-supporting element connected to the chest and movable with respectthereto during pressing action, said chest and pad-supporting elementhaving ribs adapted to cooperate for increasing heat transmission duringpressing action.

2. In a laundry press, the combination of a steam chest, and apad-supporting element connected to the chest and movable with respectthereto during pressing action, said chest and pad-supporting elementhaving ribs adapted to cooperate for increasing heat transmission duringpressing action, and said pad-supporting element having ventilatingopenings which lie between its ribs.

3. In a laundry press, the combination of a hollow stationary pressingelement, a pad-supporting element movable there-toward during pressingaction, said elements having ribs adapted to increase conduction of heatto the pressing point, the ribs of the pad-supporting element beingarranged to enter and lie between the ribs of the stationary element andto be spaced therefrom during the pressing operation.

JOHN F. RAYNOLDS.

